" I would like to live in the same soil as my ancestors, and walk under their trees, and do what they did, and think their thoughts. " - Elizabeth Lawrence. After 4 decades in Sweet Home Chicago I moved to North Carolina where my first Irish ancestor landed in the early 1700's. I'm an artist, garden designer and grandma blogging about my life in this " Southern part of Heaven " as Chapel HIll is called.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

This is only my second birthday in Carolina and by May 1 Spring is uusually more than happening by that time. But not this year. I asked a local resident if there was any such thing as a cool Carolina summer and she said absolutely not. So I suppose that one day soon it will be suddenly summer.
Even though it wasn't as warm as last year which had hardly any winter and Spring came very early, I went about planting my gardens despite some very chilly days in March and April. The one major thing I noticed is that despite the weather the landscape never looks as dreary as it did in Chicago because we have so many green trees and shrubs blooming throughout the season. I love the evergreens here - hollies with red berries, evergreen viburums ( can you believe it ?) and magnolias so huge , beautiful and magnificent to behold. The Star magnolias, forsythia, azaleas, Irises, cherry trees, quinces, fringe tree and dogwood have added their delightful blooms despite this late Spring.

'Lorelei ' an antique iris from the garden in Chicago.

Meanwhile I have added to my renter's garden in my frontyard -two nandinas , and some annual marigolds and celosia . Much to my surprise the 'ham and eggs' Lantana is slowly erupting from the soil . I thought the cold temperatures we had in the 'teens had killed them. My backyard deck is filled with tomatoes, cukes, cabbage, leeks, green onions, peppers, herbs and a hummingbird planter.

A neighbor's cat visited one night and thought that my raised garden bed was a giant litter box. After removing the affected plants I placed chopsticks in every space between and added a mesh covering over it to prevent such misunderstandings in the future.

The month of May is always filled with so many promises. Perhaps it will be so with me as well. I've been in limbo for two years now waiting for the right time to sell my Chicago home and set down roots here. I'm thinking this could be the right time for that to happen.